


Live to Die Another Day

by WayWardWonderer



Category: James Bond (Movies)
Genre: Assassination, CPR, Gen, Hurt, bullet, departure, dying, injured, shot, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 00:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14248812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WayWardWonderer/pseuds/WayWardWonderer
Summary: After returning from his mission from North Korea an embittered James Bond resigns his commission as a double-o agent with MI-6.  Before Bond has the chance to leave the building a shooter tries to take the agent down and the only people who can save him are M and Q.





	Live to Die Another Day

James Bond, agent 007, a man who had survived fourteen months of imprisonment and torture in North Korea without breaking or betraying the country that had seemingly abandoned him, had sought revenge against Colonel Tan-Sun Moon who had been the man responsible for his capture and had been the man who had defied death in order to bring the entirety of the world to his submission.

Moon had faked his death and drastically altered his appearance to assume the false identity of Gustav Graves and use conflict diamonds to fund his plot to use a powerful satellite known as "Icarus" to concentrate direct sunlight to destroy anything it touched and would allow North Korea to invade South Korea forcibly uniting the countries into a single powerhouse.

"Well done, Bond." M, who had admitted that she and the rest of MI-6 had dismissed Bond's capture as a lost cause and to deny his existence, was sincerely relieved to see him alive and well. She hadn't been surprised when Bond managed to escape the medical ship where he had been secured after his release from imprisonment and even chose to aid him in his vendetta by giving him special clearance under a unique title reserved for supposedly dead agents. "The Americans have successfully apprehended the rest of Moon's men who had infiltrated military positions effectively end his reign of terror."

"Not bad for a dead man." Bond quipped as he stood before M's desk with a glimmer of burning resentment in his blue eyes.

"You understand why we did what we had to do." M reaffirmed as stared unflinchingly at Bond with an almost motherly sense of discipline. "It was not personal."

"No, merely convenient."

"Convenient?"

"If it had been any other agent in my place would you have done the same?"

"Yes. I would have."

"I don't believe that."

"And why's that Bond?"

"You mistrust me as a person, yet you trust my instincts as an agent. If I had broken under pressure you would've had no qualms in having me executed, but when I didn't and had been traded for Zao you knew I'd hunt him down and ensure that he had been held accountable for his crimes. If it had been any other agent in my place they either would've used their cyanide or had been rescued by another agent."

"You're certain of this?" M's voice remained steadfast but her eyes were showing a mild hurt that she refused to acknowledge out of professionalism.

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt." Bone lifted his left arm and removed the watch given to him by Q2 before his mission. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must return this before I take my leave."

"Your leave?"

"I'm dead." Bond pulled on his suit jacket to smooth it out before turned his back on his superior. "My service to Queen and country has been fulfilled."

"Bond-"

Before M had the chance to respond to Bond's less than formal resignation from MI-6 he walked through the door of her office and closed it behind him. Without any even so much as a passing flirt with Miss Moneypenny the now retired agent walked through the corridors of the expansive building toward the Quartermaster division where he'd find Q2 working late on his latest piece of technology.

"Q." Bond greeted the older man as he walked up with the watch in his outstretched hand. "As promised."

"Ah!" Q accepted the watch and checked it for damage. "Double-O seven, so nice to see at least one item returned in the same condition as when it was originally lent. There maybe hope for you just yet."

"A little too late for that." Bond lamented as he watched Q unlock a hidden wall that contained the numerous watches built for recognizance and subtlety.

"Oh? And why's that?"

"I've retired."

"Retired?" Q sounded genuinely shocked by the revelation as he set the watch in its proper place and locked the wall once more. "You? I was certain you'd work in the field well into your golden years."

"Considering that I've already been written of as K.I.A. I see no point in continuing to operate within MI-6."

"I see." Q was visibly disappointed. "Well, it was a tumultuous partnership but one I shall remember for the rest of my days."

"Likewise."

"Until-"

The door to the Quartermaster's main office opened as M herself marched into the room. "Bond. We must discuss your resignation."

"What's to discuss?" Bond tried to dismiss her order with as much indifference as she had shown him in the past. "We both get what he want. I'm no longer your responsibility and I'm free go about my life without be hounded by MI-6 moles."

"Bond, please listen to reason." M's tone changed from his usual authoritative heft to a more human and compassionate level. "Your work in unparalleled compared to any other agent that I've worked with. You're clever, resourceful and above all else determined. In spite of our personal grievances I still need you."

"Unfortunately the feeling isn't mutual." Bond's response was as bitter as the look in his eyes. "Consider my time here at MI-6 to be-"

A gunshot rang out through the expansive room as a bullet tore through the air and found its mark inside Bond's body. His blue eyes went wide as he let out a grunt of pain. His hand instinctively covered the bleeding wound to his upper abdomen, his dark red blood seeping through his fingers and staining his dark gray jacket in the process.

"Bond!" M cried out as she and Q suddenly became aware of the situation. While she put her hands on Bond's arms to try and keep the man steady, she expertly shouted orders to her lead Quartermaster and guided Bond down to the floor. "Q! Lockdown! Code Black!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Q responded quickly and pressed the red emergency button which caused every door and window in the building to seal themselves and lock electronically. Bulletproof doors and windows ensure that no further gunfire would be able to tear through the only possible entrances and exits during the lockdown. "Lockdown commencing."

A warning alarm unique to Code Black sounded off throughout the building. Very few personnel were still inside during the late hour, but those who were would need to be warned and take the necessary precautions. As the warning sounded an eerie red light illuminated the room acting as a preemptive source of emergency lighting.

"Help me with Bond." M demanded as she put her hand under Bond's head to help him lay down on the cold floor as gently as possible. "We'll need a medical kit."

"Right away!" Q scurried off toward a the far corner of the room to retrieve the requested item.

"Bond. Look at me." M demanded as she loosened his black tie from around his neck and began unbuttoning his sky blue shirt to expose the wound beneath. "Keep your eyes on me."

Pulling open the bloodied fabric of Bond's shirt M lifted his hand up and away from the bleeding injury so she could fully see the circular wound created by the bullet in Bond's upper abdomen, just below the left side of his ribcage. Blood ran freely from the injury and pooled on the floor beneath Bond's body, the blood hastening its escape with each beat of Bond's racing heart.

Q rushed over to where Bond was laying knelt beside the downed agent with the emergency medical kit in his hands. "I have it, Ma'am."

"Good. Apply pressure to the wound." M instructed as she pressed her fingers to Bond's wrist, his blood covered hand still clutched in her own. "He's already lost a great deal of blood."

"Right, of course." Q opened up the medical kit and located the bundles of sterilized gauze wrapped in protective plastic. Unwrapping the gauze he placed it down over the bleeding wound and placed his palm down atop the gauze.

"I said apply pressure." M reached over with her other hand and pressed down firmly against Q's hand, which caused Bond to groan in pain as proper pressure was applied to the wound. "Don't worry about hurting him."

"...R-Right." Q stammered uncomfortably. He turned his face away as he paled and tried not to think about what he was currently doing.

"Bond." M rested her hand on his chest as it shallowly but quickly rose and fell with his pained breaths. "Stay awake. You must stay awake."

"...M." Bond managed to speak her name, his voice almost sounding hoarse from the strain it took to simply talk. "Get out of here. Find the shooter."

"I don't need to find the shooter, that's what I pay security for."

Bond couldn't help but grin at the fiery woman's curt reply. A small trickle of blood began to ooze from the side of his mouth and run down his jaw and cheek, toward his ear as he laid helpless on the floor.

"Of course. What was I thinking." Bond retorted as he let his glazed over blue eyes close slowly.

"Bond? Bond." M moved her hand from his chest and pressed it against his cheek. She used her thumb to wipe the blood away from his lips as she tried to get him to open his eyes. "Look at me."

The agent's only response came in the form a weary sigh that escaped his body as his final breath faded away.

"Bond?" M's hand returned to his chest. Her entire body ran cold as she realized that Bond had stopped breathing and his heart was no longer beating. "Damn it! He's gone into cardiac arrest!"

"What?!" Q lifted his hand up in a brief moment of panic. As an engineer and technician his mind was constantly racing and a solution presented itself. "Wait a moment! I believe I can help him!"

"Then do it!" M snipped as she tilted Bond's head back, pinched his nose and put her mouth over his own. Giving Bond two strong breaths M positioned herself at his side on both of her knees and laced her hands together before resting them on the center of his chest to begin compressions. "I can only do some much without medical intervention."

"Not to fret!" Q scrambled awkwardly to unlock a large cabinet containing prototypes and unfinished gadgets. "I have something that can help!"

"I hope so." M murmured to herself after giving Bond two more breaths and beginning a second round of compressions.

"Here we are!" Q fumbled with a small electric monitor with two small sensor pads attached to the monitor by two cables. Setting the device down Q picked up one sensor and motioned for M to retract her hands. "A portable cardiac monitor with a defibrillator built in."

"Does it work?" M wisely questioned as she looked down at Bond's pale, lifeless face.

"Yes. It does work. We just hadn't found an adequately smaller size to keep it far more discreet while in the field." Q stated as he finished applying the sensors to Bond's chest and turned on the cardiac monitor. On the display a faint quivering line representing Bond's current heart rhythm. "He's in ventricular defibrillation!"

"Can you correct it?"

"We are about to find out..." Q replied in a detached manner as he pressed a button on the side of the monitor to charge the device to deliver the proper charge to Bond's heart. "Keep back. We'll try two-hundred joules."

M did as Q instructed and kept her hands away from Bond's body.

"Here we go... Clear!"

Q pressed a second button the device and watched as the electrical charge surged through Bond's body, causing his back to arch in response and his entire body to twitch in response.

Looking at the display on the monitor Q noted that Bond's heart rhythm remained unchanged.

"Damn it. Okay, let's try three-hundred joules!" Q insisted as he made the proper adjustment on the device. "Clear!"

Again Bond's body reacted the shock physically as his back arched and dropped down to the floor as the charge surged through his heart in attempt to correct his improper heart rhythm.

"Come on, come on..." Q openly begged as he watched the display on the monitor. At first the heart rhythm appeared unchanged but soon a normal sinus rhythm showed itself and Bond took in an agonal gasp. "Ah-ha! His heart is beating again!"

M's hand rested on Bond's chest as he took in a slow, shuddering breath. "Thank God." Moving her hand over to keep pressure on his wound she moved her other hand and began softly running her hand through his dark locks. "Can't bear to lose you again.'

The red lighting turned itself off and the alarm fell silent. M looked to Q who seemed very relieved by the change in atmosphere.

"The shooter has been apprehended. The doors can be opened." Standing up Q returned to the control console where the emergency button is located to release the electric locks and open the door to the Quartermaster division. "Hopefully medics are already on their way."

"They better be." M commented as she kept her eyes on Bond's chest, watching him breathe slowly. "Medics are required to sweep every floor and check every division after lockdown."

"Ah, right on time!" Q motioned with hand toward the door as two medics; both male, rushed into the room and knelt beside Bond. "Single gunshot wound to the upper left quadrant of the abdomen."

As the medics tended to Bond Q walked over to M and offered his hand to help her to her feet. The two MI-6 officials stepped back and watched as the medics used the medical kit that Q had left on the floor as well as their own kits they had brought into the room. While one medic checked Bond's vital signs the other used his radio to request a stretcher to transport Bond to their exclusive and secret medical wing concealed on the top floor of the building.

"He's strong." Q whispered to M as they anxiously watched the pale, bloodied agent being treated at their feet.

"He's going to make it." M replied in an equally low whisper. "He's too stubborn to die without knowing who it was that killed him."

Q arched his brow slightly. "How poetic."

* * *

Once Bond had been transported to the medical wing he was wheeled directly into surgery to have the bullet removed from his abdomen. The bullet had nicked his left kidney, passed through the lower lobe of his left lung and lodged itself into his rib. It'd take time to repair the damage to internal organs and to extract the bullet, but the surgeons under the employ of MI-6 were the best in the world.

M had chosen to wait for an update on Bond inside the medical wing rather than returning to her office. Q, however, had chosen to return to his home for the night and recollect his scrambled thoughts after enduring such an eventful night.

"Ma'am." Miss Moneypenny approached M with a manila file in her hand. She handed it to her superior before giving her an oral report. "The shooter has been identified."

"Where is he now?" M asked as she opened the file to read the gathered information on their apprehended suspect.

"The morgue."

M looked up briefly from the file to lock eyes with Moneypenny. "Good." Her eyes returned to the file as she began reading through the report.

"A former sniper under the employ of Zao, Colonel Moon's partner. It appears he had been recruited to infiltrate MI-6 shortly after Bond's capture. This is how Bond's captors knew that MI-6 wasn't going to attempt a rescue mission."

"Damn." M looked at the photograph of the shooter before closing the file quickly. "What other information had he taken? To what department had he been assigned."

Moneypenny paused for a moment before answering. "He was in the Q branch."

M was quiet for a moment as well. "That explains how he acquired such a clean shot without being seen. Unfortunately protocol mandates that any division within MI-6 that has suffered a confirmed security breach must be shutdown indefinitely and those who associated with the guilty party must be terminated."

"With all due respect Ma'am you know as well as I that Q would never-"

"I know." M replied softly. "But this ruling is not one I can override. Q, however, will be spared the indignity of being fired and will simply turn in his resignation first thing in the morning and take early retirement. You will relay this message personally on my behalf."

"Very well. I will have a report and his letter of resignation on your desk first thing in the morning."

"Very good." M handed the file back to Moneypenny before she left. "I know it's difficult but do try to keep this away from the press."

"Yes, Ma'am." Moneypenny sensed a doctor approaching and bowed her head quickly as she fought to keep her emotions in check. "I'm certain Bond pulled through."

As the loyal receptionist left the medical wing to carry out M's orders the doctor stood before his superior and decided it was best to address her as honestly and bluntly as possible. "M."

"Dr. Reeve. How is Bond?"

"Holding his own." Dr. Reeve answer sharply. "The bullet did cause some internal damage to his kidney and lung. It also fracture his rib upon impacting the bone but it wasn't anything we couldn't repair. He lost a lot of blood and required numerous transfusions to replace what he lost." He folded his arms together over his chest. "The medics informed me that it was yourself and Q that had kept him alive until they could tend to his wounds. I'm impressed."

"I spent my own time in the field." M reminded the young doctor. "I've taken my own crash course in emergency medicine." Reluctant to discuss her past M returned focus to Bond and his shooting. "Is the bullet intact?"

"No. The casing is warped beyond identification beyond the caliber. We won't be able to trace it to the gun that fired."

"It doesn't matter. We have the shooter." She dared to let down her guard and sound more human as she spoke to the attending physician. "May I see Bond?"

"He is in recovery but he is still unconscious. I expect him to wake up within forty-eight hours."

"I wish to see him now."

"Very well." The doctor knew better than to try to stop her. "This way."

* * *

The doctor escorted M to the private recovery room where Bond was resting. Despite her many years of service and having seen more violence, corruption and tragedy in her lifetime than any MI-6 operative had before her, seeing one of her agents injured and unconscious under a doctor's care was almost as brutally real as seeing one of her own children hurt.

Bond was hooked up to a cardiac monitor, his slow heart beat synchronized to the display on the monitor. A tub was down his throat to aid his breathing and take the strain from his damaged lung while it healed. His face was pale, his features drawn and dark circles had formed under his eyes. The blood had been wiped away from his skin but even the astringent couldn't mask the sickly sweet smell of blood and the acrid aroma of gunpowder.

Bare chested M could see the mound of white bandages wrapped around his upper abdomen just under his ribcage. Only a few hours ago she had been trying to keep him alive with her own two hands, now he was resting peacefully in his hospital bed none the wiser.

"He'll be in pain when he wakes up," Dr. Reeve stated as he stood beside M as she stared at Bond with a sense of worry. "but I sure pain is something he's used to."

"You have no idea." M stated as she walked over to the side of the bed and looked down at Bond's face. "Thank you, doctor."

As Dr. Reeve took his leave of the room M sat down in the chair beside Bond's best. Gently M rested her hand on top of Bond's cold hand, careful not to disturb the plastic oxometer clipped to his index finger. Knowing that it looked unprofessional or even showed favoritism M decided in that moment a simple act of human kindness was far more important than showing any sign of professionalism or protocol.

"You stubborn fool. I knew you wouldn't die so easily."

* * *

The night went on without any further incident from any other intruder or saboteur. MI-6 had contained the news about the breach of security without any difficulty, Moneypenny returned to give M an update on that situation as her people worked to remedy the flaws in the security clearance, and Q had agreed to retire quietly and discreetly for the sake of peace.

"How is he?" Moneypenny whispered as she handed M the file containing the latest report as well Q's resignation letter.

"Alive." M accepted the file and flipped through the pages of the report. Q's letter was tucked beneath and a second resignation was beneath the first. "What's this?"

"My letter of resignation."

"Moneypenny? You?"

"Yes."

"I'm certain you have your reasons and I don't have any right to ask, but," M had grown quite fond of the young woman and trusted her immensely. "may I ask why you wish to leave?"

"To be honest Ma'am, I've become more aware of myself and of the life I've chosen to live." Moneypenny explained sincerely. "Bond was gone for over a year and suffered unspeakable pain. Security breaches, assassination attempts, bombs tearing through the building... I just can't take it anymore."

"Moneypenny," M reached out and took her hand in her own. "I understand entirely. Take care of yourself and know that you'll always have a place here."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'll clear out my desk this afternoon." She gave Bond a thoughtful glance before leaving the room.

"Miss Moneypenny." M called after her.

"Yes Ma'am?" She paused in the doorway and looked back at her former superior.

"Good luck."

"Same to you. Thank you."

The glass door slid shut behind Moneypenny and the room was quiet. M sighed as she opened the file to begin reading the report, but a movement out of the corner of her eye drew her attention.

Bond's hand flexed once before it slowly reached up toward his face, his fingers brushing against the end of the tube attached to the ventilator that was helping him breathe.

"Bond?" M called his name as she stood up beside the bed and leaned over him. "If you can hear me open your eyes?"

Bond's hand lowered from the tube and came to rest over his chest. Slowly his eyes fluttered open, the blue of his irises seemed bright in contrast next to the dark circles under his eyes.

"Bond?" M asked again as his glassy eyes steadily cleared. Staring forward for a few seconds his eyes scanned the room before coming to rest on M's face. "You're awake."

Dr. Reeve entered the room to examine Bond. As the agent awoke from his deep slumber the monitor recording his vitals had shown a significant rise in his heart rate and blood pressure that caught the doctor's attention.

"Hello, agent double-o seven." Dr. Reeve greeted as he took a penlight from the breast pocket of his scrubs and flicked the light up and down in Bond's eyes. "It looks like you've pulled through yet again."

Satisfied that Bond was stable and there was so sign of brain damage from the brief lack of oxygen during his cardiac arrest Dr. Reeve took his stethoscope and listened to Bond's breathing.

"Sounds good. Mild congestion in the left lung but that should clear up with the antibiotics we have already started you on." Draping the stethoscope around his neck Dr. Reeve addressed Bond honestly. "Do you remember what happened?"

Bond nodded once to confirm.

"You're lucky. The bullet could've ricocheted around your chest killing you instantly, but instead it passed through your lung and became lodged in a rib. We removed the bullet successfully and expect a full recovery.

Bond nodded again.

"Alright, now I want to take you off the ventilator and try to extubate you. This will be uncomfortable," Dr. Reeve informed the agent as he detached the line from the ventilator to the tube down Bond's throat. Taking a firm grip on the end of the tube he lowered the head of the bed to keep Bond's neck, and subsequently throat, as straight and unobstructed as possible. "but it'll pass. When I tell you to I need you to cough."

Though he didn't nod Bond gave the doctor a knowing glance and prepared to do as he was told.

"One," Dr. Reeve began to pull on the tube slowly. "two, three! Cough."

Bond obeyed and began coughing as the horrid tube was pulled from his throat. A dry hacking cough followed as the tube was removed and Bond was free to breathe on his own.

"That's good, just breathe." Dr. Reeve encouraged as he watched the cardiac display showing Bond's vital sign. His oxygen level was stable and normal. Lifting the head of the bed back up for Bond's comfort he nodded confidently to M and then returned his attention to Bond. "Everything looks normal. Rest. I'll be back to check on you later."

Bond tried to acknowledge the doctor but he was still coughing from the dryness in his throat. M had poured a glass of water for Bond using the pitcher of fresh water left in the room by the attending nurse earlier that morning.

"Drink this." M insisted as she handed the glass to Bond.

With a shaking hand Bond reached for the glass as he calmed himself and took in a much needed cleansing breath. After sipping the water he laid back against his pillow and let his senses fully return before saying anything to M.

"You survived." M stated flatly with the faintest of smiles on her face.

"...You're with me." Bond's voice was hoarse but audible.

"It's my job to look after my agents."

Bond laughed a little at her statement. Every fiber of his being wanted to point out the outrageous hypocrisy in her bold claim, but he was too tired to argue with his former superior.

"I know you don't believe me. But it's true. Every agent that has ever been injured in the line of duty I've check in on during their recovery. You've merely had the good fortune of avoiding any truly serious injury under my watch."

"You and I have very different definitions of 'fortunate'."

"The shooter has been identified. He was loyal to Moon. Double-o three took him out before he had a chance to leave the building."

"Double-o three has always been an excellent shot. And obviously better than any of Moon's men."

"You'll be discharged from medical in one week. But I imagine you'll insist on leaving before the doctor's deem you well enough to function without any medical aid."

"You imagine correctly." Bond answered as he pressed his hand to his side where he could still feel the burning pain of the bullet entering his body from the night before. Wincing at the throbbing pain of the still healing gunshot wound Bond dared lift up the heavy white bandage that covered his side and look at the bloody injury beneath. "An inch or so to the left the bullet would've passed through the liver. I would've bled out before anyone could help me." Bond noted his own injury with a surprising indifference. "A shame really."

"Bond don't speak like that." M scolded quickly. "I refuse to sit back and watch you die."

"You nearly did." Bond shot back bitterly as he replaced the bandage and put his hand protectively over it. "I assume the only reason I survived is because of one of Q's many contraptions came in handy."

"Yes. That is old fashioned common sense."

"CPR." Bond gave M a mischievous grin. "Was it your kiss of life that kept me here, or Q? Only one of you will be getting flowers from me."

"Oh, really double-o seven. Could you please take this seriously?"

Bond turned away from her and sighed, he visibly flinched in pain but didn't complain. "M. I haven't changed my mind. I've resigned my commission."

"I know." M admitted reluctantly. "I won't try to change your mind."

"Thank you."

"Just know that I wish you would reconsider but I've known you for far too long. You will leave and go about your business as you see fit. I can't stop that."

"You don't need me." Bond begrudgingly reminded her. "I was gone for well over a year and MI-6 lingered on without me. My time as agent double-o seven is over. I wasn't the first to carry the number, and I won't be the last."

"You're right. There will always be a man to carry the number, but how that man will represent the number can never be predicted."

Bond could read M better than anyone else. He could sense a hesitation and uneasiness in her body language. "You already have a replacement in mind."

"I do."

"But you don't trust him."

"No."

"Because he reminds you of me, doesn't he?"

"Only in recklessness and determination."

"No field experience?"

"He has experience." M crossed her arms as she sat in the chair beside his bed. "Just no kills."

"So," Bond smirked again, this time it was one of amusement. "he has all of the qualifications to earn double-o status except for the most important."

"I'll send him on the proper assignment to earn his status in due time, but until then the other agents will work the field without you."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I want you to leave." M's answer was unexpected but welcome. "It's time for you to go. You've done your part and now it's time for someone else to step forward."

"I have your blessing."

"Hardly. You have my permission."

"I suppose that's all I could ever ask for. Thank you, M."

"Get some rest." M stated as she rose from her seat and walked toward the door. She opened the glass door and gave Bone one final glance; one of respect and gratitude. "Double-o status rescinded."

Bond laid back in his bed and closed his eyes. "Guess I'll die another day..."

_**-The End** _

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place between "Die Another Day" and "Casino Royale" as a type of 'what-if' scenario that could explain why M is the only character (actor) to return as part of the rebooted series.


End file.
